Mop bucket with separable strainer



M 21, 1963 A. c. JAMES ETAL MOP BUCKET WITH SEPARABLE STRAINER Filed Dec. 5, 1966 INVENTOR! ANNE C. JAMES WILLIAM J JAMES United States Patent 0 3,383,732 M0? BUCKET WITH SEPARABLE TkAlNER Anne C. James and William J. James, both of 2608 11th Ave. NW., Calgary, Alberta, Canada Filed Dec. 5, 1966, Ser. No. 599,217 2 Claims. (Cl. 15-260) ABSTRACT OF THE DKSCLOSURE This invention relates to a strainer for yacht mops adapted to be detachably clipped over the small end of a bucket and having a clip engageable wih the bucket wall for engagement purposes. it also includes water barrier strips between the sides of the strainer and the conical element formed therewith to prevent water from slopping over the outside edges of the bucket.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mop bucket strainers particularly mop bucket strainers adapted to incorporate a device to assist in the squeezing or wringing out of the mop.

Conventional yacht mops are usually squeezed by mechanical rollers or mechanical clamps aflixed to one end of the mop bucket.

These are not only heavy but require awkward manipulation by the operator in order to hold the mop in place and then operate the Wringer or squeezer.

These buckets are relatively expensive, awkward in use and difficult to store.

I overcome all of these disadvantages by providing a mop bucket preferably made of plastic and having a removable cone shaped strainer detachably securable to one end thereof.

The shape of the mop bucket is such that it is wider at one end than the other and the cone shaped strainer is engageable over the narrow end. Due to the configuration of the mop bucket together with the attachment means of the strainer, twisting pressure can be applied to a yacht mop within the cone shaped strainer thus removing the excess moisture from the mop and without the danger of the mop bucket tipping.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a mop bucket with a separable strainer wherein the strainer is snap-flttingly held in position on the upper edge of the bucket and is also provided with a flexible keeper strip which is inserted into a slot in the bucket side wall and assumes a deformed shape to assist in retaining the strainer in position.

With the foregoing in view, and such other objects, purposes or advantages as may become apparent from consideration of this disclosure and specification, the present invention consists of the inventive concept in whatsoever Way the same may be embodied having regard to the particular exempliflcation or exemplifications of same herein, with due regard in this connection being had to the accompanying figures in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the bucket and strainer.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation thereof.

FIGURE 3 is an isometric view of the strainer per se.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary end view showing the keeper strip of the strainer engaged with the wall of the bucket.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary eievational view of the strainer.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

Proceeding therefore to describe the invention in detail, reference character it) illustrates a perimetrical side wall which, together with base 11 spanning same, forms the bucket which, of course, is open at the top thereof.

Patented May 21, 1968 This side wall is provided with curved ends 12 and 13, the radius of the curved end 12 being considerably larger than the radius of the curved end 13 thus forming a large end 14 and a small end 15.

The dimensions of the base 11 are smaller than the open top 16 thus giving the side wall a downwardly and inwardly sloping configuration which permits a plurality of buckets to be nested one within the other for storage and transportation purposes. A bale type handle 17 is secured to the upper edge 18 of the side Wall in the conventional manner. This upper edge 18 is thickened to form a bead 19 for stiffening purposes and a downwardly depending flange 20 may be formed around the base 11 which is also normal in bucket construction.

A strainer collectively designated 21 is associated with the bucket and is adapted to span the smaller end 15 thereof.

This strainer comprises a planar substantially triangular support plate 22 having the end 23 curved in a rear configuration similar to the curved end 13 of the bucket.

A downwardly depending inwardly curved flange 24' is formed integrally with the planar plate 22 and is adapted to snap over the head 19 when the strainer is in position as shown in FiGURE 5.

Further means are provided to retain the strainer detachably connected to the small end 15 of the bucket, said means taking the form of a downwardly depending keeper strip 22a situated at the rear side or end 23 of the planar plate. A transverse slot 24 is formed through the wall of the bucket just below the head 18 and the strip 22a is inserted within this slot and then the downturned flange portion 24' is pressed downwardly Over the bead thus holding the strainer in position. The bucket and the strainer are made of plastic material which is flexible not only to permit the flange 24' to be snap-fitted over the head 19, but also to permit the keeper strip 22a to be flexed into a deformed shape as shown in FIG. 4, thus assisting in holding the strainer in position on the bucket.

A strainer element 25 in the form of an inverted cone is secured to the plate 22 and depends downwardly therefrom, the open end 26 being connected to an aperture formed within the plate. This conical element is perforated as at 2'7.

Vertically situated barriers or strips 28 are secured to the upper surface of the planar plates 22 parallel to the side edges 29 thereof and extend from the transverse front edge 39, rearwardly towards the curved end 23, the ends 1 of these barriers curving towards one another adjacent the end 2 3. Perforations 32 are formed through the planar plates 22 and these barriers prevent any Water spilled upon the upper surface from spilling onto the surrounding fioor. Rather the barriers guide the Water to the perforations 32 or to the conical element 25.

It will be apparent that a plurality of buckets can be nested together and the necessary number of strainers for these buckets also nested together and shipped within the uppermost bucket. This means that a considerable saving of both weight and volume is effected by this novel construction yet at the same time we have provided a mop bucket in which the strainer, once attached to the small eii d, permits a yacht mop to be rung out by a twisting and pressing action within the conical element 25.

Due to the method of attachment of the strainer to the bucket, together with the configuration of the bucket, a very stable assembly is produced which does not have a tendency to tip when the mop wringing pressure is applied.

Various modifications can be made within the scope of the inventive concept disclosed. Accordingly, it is intended that what is described herein should be regarded as illustrative of such concept and not for the purpose of limiting protection to any particular embodiment thereof, but

that only such limitations should be placed upon the scope of protection to which the inventors hereof are entitled, as justice dictates.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. The combination of a mop bucket having a rounded end portion and including a side wall provided at its upper edge with a bead defining an open top of the bucket, and a strainer formed integrally from flexible plastic material, said strainer comprising a horizontal support plate removably positioned on and conforming to the open top of the rounded end portion of said bucket, a depending flange provided marginally on said support plate and snap-fittingly engaging said head, a keeper strip extending downwardly from said flange at a point centrally along the length of the flange, said bucket side wall being provided with a transverse slot removably receiving said keeper strip therein and causing the strip to be flexed into a deformed shape when said flange is snapfitted on said head to hold the support plate in position on the bucket, and a perforated funnel-shaped strainer element supported by said plate within the rounded end portion of the bucket.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said support plate is disposed above the bead of said bucket side 5 wall, together with upstanding horizontally elongated moisture deflector rims provided on top of said support plate at opposite sides of said strainer element.

References Cited 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,952,824 3/1934 Schulman 15-263 2,143,846 1/1939 Giddings 15-263 1r FOREIGN PATENTS 516,040 3/1955 Canada.

1,426,827 12/1965 France.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

20 LEON G. MACHLIN, Examiner. 

